The Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation confirmed today that legendary airshow performer and test pilot Bob Hoover will join speakers Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell, and Gene Cernan for the foundation’s 35th anniversary gala at The Explorers Club on May 18. In addition, author Reeve Lindbergh, youngest daughter of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, will also participate in the program.

Bob Hoover

“I am certain everyone in attendance will be delighted to hear the captivating stories of how famed test pilot Bob Hoover, as a young man, met Charles Lindbergh and engaged with him throughout their careers in aviation,” said Lindbergh Foundation Chairman and CEO Larry Williams. “Reeve Lindbergh will add her own personal recollections to the evening,

Reeve Lindbergh

including the importance of the Lindbergh Foundation’s work in carrying on the vision of her parents. I can’t think of a more compelling roster of speakers to help us celebrate our anniversary, and to encourage us to remember the significance of the contributions made by the Lindberghs to our lives today, 85 years after that historic flight.”

Bob Hoover has flown over 300 types of aircraft and flight tested or flown nearly every type of fighter aircraft, and is also the holder of several aviation records. He has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Soldiers Medal, Air Medal and Purple Heart. He is the only person to serve two terms as president of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and was captain of the United States Aerobatic Team in the 1966 International Competition in Moscow.

“Bob Hoover has been a hero and mentor to me as well as the entire airshow industry for decades, saving countless lives,” noted Lindbergh Foundation Board member Sean Tucker. “He is a true aviation legend and is very honored to share the stage with these famous Apollo astronauts to celebrate the legacy of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.”

Reeve Lindbergh is the honorary chairman of the Lindbergh Foundation and the youngest of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s children. Since 2004, she has been recognized as Honorary Chairman of the Lindbergh Foundation following her years as its president, and as a member of the board of directors since the foundation’s formation in 1977. In this work, she leads efforts to further her parents’ vision for improving the quality of life through balance between nature and technology. Reeve is the author of numerous books for children and adults. Her other volunteer activities include various community organizations concerned with children, the arts, and support for handicapped individuals.

James Lovell, Eugene Cernan, Neil Armstrong

Lindbergh Foundation board and staff are continuing preparations to welcome astronauts Jim Lovell, Eugene Cernan, and Neil Armstrong to The Explorers Club for the anniversary. Following a reception and dinner for about 100 guests, Lovell, who served on the foundation’s first board, will share his recollections of the vision for the foundation; Cernan will reflect on receiving the Lindbergh Spirit Award in 2007, and Armstrong will offer his perspective on the Lindbergh Foundation, and his recollections of working with Jimmy Doolittle, who served with him as national co-chair of the fundraising effort that endowed the Lindbergh Foundation.

The Lindbergh Foundation celebration continues on Saturday, May 19, with a special anniversary program at the Cradle of Aviation Museum, a supporter of the Lindbergh Foundation and home to a remarkable and unique collection of rare aviation and space exhibits. Following a panel discussion with some Lindbergh Foundation Board members, the Cradle will dedicate a plaque commemorating Lindbergh’s departure from nearby Roosevelt Field, with an anniversary cake noting the 85th anniversary of that flight, as well as the Cradle’s 10th birthday, and the 35th for the Lindbergh Foundation.